Businesses in the dark after phone cables stolen

LOCALS damaged telephone cables serving businesses in the southern part of Goroka town, according to technician Bebes Kotio. Goroka police and Telikom technicians discovered that the cable running from Faniufa to Kamaliki via the Mt Sion Blind Centre had been removed. They suspect that three men from a nearby village were involved. Kotio said they discovered the damage after complaints from businesshouses that they were facing communication problems. He called in the police to investigate. “The suspects were in the process of burning the cables as they wanted to sell the small copper wires when the policemen arrived. They left behind the cables and ran for cover. We retrieved the cables,” Kotio said. He said it was difficult to get new cables because there is none in stock. Kotio said they knew who the suspects were and police were looking for them. Businesshouses affected were Mt Sion Blind Centre, Kamaliki Vocational School, Lass Malo Service Station, Kamaliki Communication Institute, Nowek Coffee, Star Wines and Covec Crusher. A few months ago, telephone cables from the Kefamo Catholic Mission to Six-Mile along the highlands highway were removed.